1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printing over a network by hotel guests using the guests room key information as a means of identification. More specifically, the present invention relates to hotel guests uploading a print job to an Internet printing service provider and retrieving the print job at a hotel printer by presenting their room key to a key reading device at the printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internet and business related services provided by hotels to their guests have become increasingly popular. For example, some hotels provide Internet access for their guests via telephone jacks in their guest rooms, for which their guests can use a conventional telephone modem within their laptop computer to connect to the Internet. Hotels may also include an in-room multifunction device for their guests to receive and send facsimiles, to make photocopies, or to scan a document. However, one service that has been somewhat problematic for hotels to provide to their guests is the ability to print documents on a hotel printer.
To provide printing capabilities to their guests, some hotels require that the guest submit a floppy disk containing the information to be printed to the front desk clerk, who then can print the information for the guest utilizing the hotel's printer. One problem with this approach however, is that the size of the file that can be printed is limited by the amount of data (1.44 MB) that can be stored on the floppy disk.
Some hotels may also include a centrally located business center in the hotel that includes a computer workstation and a printer. To print a document, the guest takes their floppy disk, or other computer readable medium containing the information to be printed, to the business center where they can then print the document utilizing the business center's computer and printer. However, one problem with this approach, which is also a problem with the foregoing floppy disk approach, is that the hotel's computer must have a software application program that is capable of reading and printing the information. As a result, the hotel needs to invest in numerous different application programs and install them on their computer in order for the guest to be able to print the information. Of course, the number of different software applications is too numerous for each hotel to make such an investment, and therefore, the ability for some hotel guests to have their information printed is limited to only a few of the most common application programs. Moreover, the central business center generally only has a limited number of computers and therefore, some guests may not be able to utilize the business center if the computers are already being used by other guests. This approach also requires that the guest leave their hotel room, thereby inconveniencing the guest.
Some hotels also provide network connections for their guests so that the guest can print directly from their laptop to the central business center's printer. However, this approach requires that the hotel's guests have the printer driver for the business center's printer installed on their laptop, which may or may not always be possible, but which certainly inconveniences the guests.
One approach that addresses the foregoing has been described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/903,940 (hereinafter referred to as “the '940 application”) filed on Jul. 12, 2001 and entitled “Printing With Credit Card As Identification”, the contents of which are incorporated by reference as set forth in full herein. In the '940 application's approach, a user accesses an Internet printing service website (such as www.DocGo.net) to upload a print job. Upon accessing the website, the user selects a file or files to upload for printing and enters credit card information (e.g. credit card number, name, expiration date, etc.). The selected file(s) and credit card information are uploaded to a server where they are stored until printing is initiated. To print the print job, the user goes to a printer that is part of the Internet printing network (i.e., communicates with the server) and swipes their credit card through a credit card reader connected to the printer. The credit card information is communicated to the server which then renders the print job in an appropriate format based on the type of printer that the credit card was swiped at, and transmits the rendered print data to the printer, where it is processed and printed out.
As can readily be seen in the '940 application's approach, the hotel guest can upload their print job from their hotel room (using a modem connection) and does not need to utilize the hotel's business center computer to print the print job. However, some hotel guests may not possess a credit card or may not want to have their credit card information transmitted across the Internet, regardless of the level of security provided by the connection to protect the credit card number. In this case, a way to have hotel guests print their print jobs over the Internet in a way that is different from the '940 application's approach is desirable and the present invention provides just such a solution.